


Small Comforts

by Zebooboo



Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, Nightmares, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:48:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24866341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zebooboo/pseuds/Zebooboo
Summary: Somehow it hurts to remember him more than others. The other Nightstalker had been his saving grace. The reason he wasn’t food to the maw of some wayward, hunted Ahamkara on Venus.
Kudos: 8





	Small Comforts

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written OC fic in ages and now this pops out?
> 
> I don't know where it came from.

"Ok, you've been alive for barely three hours so it's time for some dating advice."

Feros-8 starts at the sudden, loud voice and whirls around with a handcannon slipping from his fingers but still trying to aim. His fingers feel like jelly, his whole body heavy like he's underwater. 

Pahanin doesn't even look bothered by the gun as he plops next to him at the campfire, more concerned with unlatching his helmet. 

He tosses it to the side and wags a finger in Feros' face. "Don't partner up with another Hunter. Big mistake. Giant pain is all we are. Can't get anything done if more than one is involved. Find a stuffy Titan instead, the righteous type.”

The man finds a stick and squints thoughtfully at it. “Or a stubborn Warlock, splash of adventure and you're done! Or both. Both is the best, lemme tell you. You can get into all kinds of trouble with another Hunter, but it's probably not gonna measure up, you know?"

Feros blinks, gun dropping from his fingers and he says intelligently, "Huh…"

Pahanin turns to poke at the fire, absently setting the dropped gun aside, "Not that being with another Hunter is bad, but sometimes you're too alike to get along."

The fire plays over Pahanin's face and Feros thinks he might look a bit too pale. Was Pahanin always this pale? And his hair is… _long_. Pahanin hates having his hair be longer than a finger. 

Now it drops to tickle his brows, coppery brown and wispy. Feros' fingers brush it back from Pahanin's forehead without thinking. 

The other Hunter leans into his palm and closes his eyes. "Sometimes you shouldn't want to get along. It would be too easy if you could just run off into the Wilds together. Disappear into the adventures…"

His voice sounds just as thin at the delicate strands between Feros' fingers. Pahanin's cheek is cold under his palm. 

Feros feels cold too, the night's chill creeping in even with the roaring fire at their feet. 

And it's all so dark, he can't even see anything above Pahanin's shoulder. 

"Don't disappear into the high tales Fee."

Feros locks eyes with Pahanin. Newly rezzed and confused and cold and afraid and lucky enough for Pahanin to find him and pull him away from gunfire and dragonfire. 

"Don't drift away into the Dark."

That's right, that was decades and an Age ago. Now Pahanin is dead. 

"Don't let go."

There's a gaping, festering hole in Pahanin's chest and it bleeds _bleeds **bleedsbleedsblee**_ -

\---

He hasn’t jerked out of an actual dream in too long. But Feros does and he tumbles off the couch in his camp in Schala’s living room. He vents air with a hiss and a clench of the jaw.

The blanket is still tangled around his legs and he kicks it off with more anger than he’d admit to. He’d have much rathered to see the dream with the Crypt, rare as it is. He’d much rather go through the motions of murdering and tearing apart every person he knows and has forgotten, than remember _Pahanin_ of all people.

Somehow it hurts to remember him more than others. The other Nightstalker had been his saving grace. The reason he wasn’t food to the maw of some wayward, hunted Ahamkara on Venus. The reason he even managed to meet Tevis and Cayde and Andal and Shiro and everybody afterwards.

He never did get to know him that well.

Mia chirps from her corner on the windowsill, peeking around the pillow she’s sharing with Tyr. Both Ghosts are watching him, but Tyr is silent, eye darting between him and the half-open door of Schala-2’s bedroom behind him. Mia flies over after a stretch of silence, Feros still coming back down from the sudden shot of adrenaline.

She snuggles into his neck, crooning softly and he wraps gentle fingers around her pointy shell. Small comforts for old pains. He still misses her tiny voice.

“Do you want me to wake Schala?” Tyr whispers, his shell twisting awkwardly as he floats closer. Feros sighs and shakes his head.

No. No need to wake her. She’d had far too much to worry about. What with the mess with the Undying Mind and then Osiris and the Sundial and saving Saint after she’s been trying to for what seems like half her life. He doesn’t need to be yet another bother.

Besides, he’ll be leaving to meet with Ana soon enough, there’s no reason to worry her.

Tyr flits like a hummingbird for a bit, nervous and wanting to say something but swallowing it every time. Mia shakes in a silent, tittering laugh against his neck and he offers a hand for the other Ghost to rest in.

The shiny shell sags and the Ghost drops in his palm and Feros settles against the foot of the couch with the two Ghosts resting with him.

After a moment of staring vacantly outside into the quiet night, Tyr perks up and looks up knowingly at Feros. 

“She’ll know something is up in the morning.”

Feros chuckles and shrugs. “She always does.”

He pulls the blanket back, wrapping it around his shoulders and pooling the rest at his crossed legs. The Ghosts relocate in his fluffy lap.

Sleepiness returns slowly as he relaxes again. “No need to hide from Schala…”

He’s asleep before too long, the memory of Pahanin already fading to the back of his mind, back with all the other people he’s buried. He’s done his mourning.

He just hopes he’ll be able to remember everyone fondly again soon.

**Author's Note:**

> For those who may remember my older fics with Fee and Schala, this isn't the same.
> 
> I have since reworked Feros' backstory and it shows here. Those fics are dear to me, because they are how I started writing fic again after years and years, and this will not be part of them. 
> 
> This is less a story and more of a character exploration. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed!


End file.
